Thomas j



(No Model.)

T. J.v REID. TIRE TRUING MACHINE. Y

No. 408,044. Patented July 8o, 1888.

y Zhi/5.72 [m7 m @d bym UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. REID, OF GANANOQUE, ONTARIO, CANADA.

TIRE-TRUING-IVIACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,044, dated July 30,1889. Application filed April 17, 1889. Serial No. 307,581. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. REID, acitizen of the United States, atpresent residing at Gauanoq-ue, in the county of Leeds and Province ot'Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful lmprovementinTire-Truing Machines, of'which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, fornlingpart of this specification.

My invention relates to machines for expanding or contracting tires forvehiclewheels, so that all tires may be made to conform exactly to thestandard tire of the size required.

lVhen tires are manufacturedto lit the different sizes of wheels, it.very rarely happens that any two tires are of exactly the same size; andthe object of my invention is to ob` tain a machine in which the tiremaybe easily and accurately expanded when too small and contracted orupset when too large, and thus made to conform exactly to the sizerequired or the circle of the tire made true when necessai-y.

The novelty of my invention consists 1n the construction and arrangementof parts, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of the lnachinewith portions of the face and bottom plates removed. Fig. 2 is across-section of the machine, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

The working part-s are supported in the circular frame A, resting on thelegs or feet B.

Bolted to this frame A is a circular plate O, forming the bottom plateot the machine. Upon this plate O a sufficient number ot' segmental irondies or formers D are arranged to make a complete circle, somewhatlarger in diameter than the required diameter of the tire to be operatedupon. Vithin and concentric with this outer set another and similar setof dies E are arranged, so as to make a complete circle, whose diameteris somewhat smaller than that required. The ends of these segmental diesor formers do not touch, but a small space is lett between each segment,and the two sets of segmental dies are made to alternate with eachother, as shown in Fig. l. To the middle and lower edge of eachsegmental die is rigidly attached an arm F, extending inwardly along thesurface of the bottom plate O. The die and arm are so arranged, however,that the die can be adjusted along the arm when required. These arms areeach toothed on one side only, the arms of the outer set on one side,and the arms of the inner set on the other, so that the toothed edges ofthe arms tace each other. Engaging each pair ot arms thus toothed arethe segmental pinions G, and in order to keep the racks in engagementwith the pinions angleirons J are firmly bolted to the bottom plate toabut up against the plane side of the arms and form guides. The axles ofthe pinions G extend down through the bottom plate C, where the levers Hare rigidly attached. These levers extend into the central disk K, towhich they are attached by the pins cl, extending up through slots inthe levers, the levers being slotted in order to allow them to movefreely when the disk is turned. This central disk K revolves on an axleM, j ournaled inthe bottom plate O and frameA of the machine. At thelower end of this axle, at the bottom of the frame, a lever N isattached, which extends out between the legs of the machine, wheremanual labor may be used to operate it and turn the disk; or theapparatus may be easily arranged to be operated by machine-power. Aface-plate R, bolted to the bottom plate, covers the operating parts ofthe machine.

In order to use the machine to bring t0 a trueV standard ties that` maybe slightly larger or slightly smaller than the size required, or not atrue circle, the segmental dies are adjusted on their carrying-arms, sothat the external diameter of the inner series of segmental dies shallbe exactly the internal diameter of the standard tire, and the internaldiameter ofthe outer series of dies the external diameter of the truetire. The lever N is then turned to revolve the disk in a directionopposite to the direction of the arrow. The turning of the disk shiftsthe levers H, which operate upon and turn the segmental pinions, whichin 'turn operate on the racks or arms, so that all the outersegmentaldies are moved outward and the inner ones brought in, thus leaving acircular channel in which IOO the tire T to be operated on is placed.When the tire to be trued is placed between the bands, the disk is thenrevolved in the direction of the arrow, and by the action of the leversH on the pinions the outer segmental dies are brought in and the innerones pushed out. Thisis continued until both sets of segmental dies arebrought into tight contact with the tire-that is, the operation iscontinued until the tire is made to conform to the true standard. It'the tire was origin ally too small, the action of the inner dies willeX- pand it, and if too large the action of the outer dies will compressor upset it to the proper size. The variations in different sizes ofwheels range from about three feet to four feet eight inches, and forthe larger sizes of tires another series of larger iron can be used, oras many sets varying in size as necessary, the smaller sets beingremoved and replaced by the larger sets, as to adjust the same dies forall sizes of tires would leave too wide au opening between the segmentsof each set when used for truing the larger sizes.

A wire circular opening is left in the faceplate, as shown in Fig. l, sothat my machine can be used as a truing tiring trestle in the process oftiring wheels, as described in my invention secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States No. 393,030, or under old processes, the wide openingbeing left in the center to allow for the hub and necessary dish ot thespokes.

My machine can also be used with great advantage in the operation ofcontracting tires on wheels, a set of inside dies being furnished ofshorter segments, so that the segmental dies can pass between the spokesof the wheel to support the rim of the wheel on the inside while thetire 'is' being contracted on the rim by the outside circle, the hubbeing held in place by a screw coming down from above, as in my tiringprocess.

When used as a tire-contractor, if desired, the racks or arms of thesegmental dies can be so arranged that the pinions or other operatingmechanism will only operate the outer set of dies, the expanding setbeing held immovable. Various means have been tried to contract tiresupon the rims of wheels cold, but all, so far as I know, have beenabandoned, because there was no means devised for supporting the wheelon the inside, and the outside pressure inwardly crushed and destroyedmany ot' the wheels by injuring the rim or dishing or springing thespokes. With my machine used for this purpose these diiculties areovercome. The hub and rim of the wheel are supported and held immovable,so that the outside pressure can have no effect. My machine can also beconveniently used for punching holes in the tire for the tirebolts, aseries of punches'being arranged between the tire and contracting orexpanding dies, so that all the bolt-holes may be made at one operation.In the same way any desired portionof the tire can be cut oit beforebeing welded. The machine can also be attached to a water-tank, so thatwhen used for tiring by the old process of shrinking the tire on whilehot the machine maybe dipped in the water to cool the tire oit on therim of the wheel. In tiring the wheel under the old processes, byshrinking the tire on hot the wheel is often dished when the tirecontracts as it is cooled but when held in my machine this diiculty isovercome.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tire-truingmachine, the combination, with a circular series ofsegmental dies, of a like series of similar dies arranged concentricallyand in the same plane therewith, with means-such as racks, pinions, andconnections-for radially reciprocating each series of dies in oppositedirections,in the manner and for the purpose described.

2. In a tire-truing machine, the combination, with a circular series ofsegmental dies, of a similar series of concentrically-arranged dies,radially-extending rack-arms ixed to and carrying said dies, andmeans-such as pinions, central disk, and connections-for simultaneouslyreciprocating the arms of each set in opposite directions, in the mannerand vfor the purpose described.

3. In a tire-truing machine, the combination, with a circular series ofsegmental dies, of a similar series of concentrically-arranged dies,centrally-extending arms or racks fixed to and carrying said dies, racksof each series alternating with each other, pinionsengaging each pair ofalternating racks, and meanssuch as the disk K and rotating devices--foroperating the pinions, in the manner and for the purpose described.

4. In a tire-truing machine, the combination, with a circular series ofsegmental dies, of a similar series of concentrically-arranged ICO IIO

dies, centrally-extending racks ixed to and carrying said dies, racks ofeach series alternatin g with each other, pinions engaging each pair ofalternating racks, levers operating said pinions having their inner endsslotted and fixed to a centrally-revolving disk, and means for revolvingsaid disk, in the manner and for the purpose described.

THOMAS J., REID. Witnesses:

JOHN THoMPsoN, W. B. CARROLL.

